Makin’ a list, checkin’ it twice: Who’s been naughty and nice in Sacramento this year? | Opinion
Santa and I spoke the other day, and he said that with so many things going on in the world this year, he just hasn’t had a chance to really focus on the Sacramento region. So I offered to help the jolly old saint out and provide him with his Naughty and Nice lists for the year.
Mind you, it’s in no particular order of importance... except for when it is.
NAUGHTY LIST
Former Sacramento City Manager Howard Chan
Do I even need to explain why by now? The Sacramento City Council rejected his demands to extend his contract for another year, finally putting an end to more than 12 months of lobbying for greedy pay raises, insouciant defiance and state Brown Act violations. Good riddance.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty
McCarty’s winning campaign for mayor included an underhanded strategy of trying to make voters afraid of his opponent, Flojaune Cofer. He attacked her on public safety and homelessness by twisting her words or taking them out of context. Campaign money not affiliated with McCarty’s campaign, but working to undermine Cofer, was downright slimy.
Sacramento Police Department
This one’s personal: Sac Police put me in handcuffs and then never even bothered to apologize.
Board members at Capitol Public Radio
Where is the criminal investigation on this? Sacramento needs to know where all those millions of dollars went, who knew about it and when.
California Governor Gavin Newsom
Step right up folks; pick a fumble, any fumble!
Proponents of Prop. 36
All Prop 36 stands to do is spend millions of state money chasing after petty offenders. Hope you all enjoy paying for putting even more people into jail cells.
California Rep. Kevin Kiley
If this Congressman hailing from the Placer area truly hates his liberal state so much, it’s a wonder he still deigns to live in it. Calling him a Grinch would be an insult to Grinch-kind.
Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna
If publicly questioning a disabled veteran’s manhood wasn’t enough to land this salty supervisor on the Forever-Naughty list last year, then he ought to get double coal for snubbing a fellow elected (See: Karina Talamantes below) when she tried to ask board leadership how it planned to spend $25 million in state funds on the homeless, and got blown off instead.
NICE LIST
Former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg
Call me sentimental, but I liked the guy… even if Steinberg was sometimes a little too nice when the city really could have used a firm hand.
Flo Cofer
It was nice to watch a progressive political outsider give a seasoned pro (McCarty, that is) a run for his money… or other people’s money. I just hope Cofer stays in the game long enough to put the same pressure on other longtime electeds, come 2026.
Sacramento City Council member Karina Talamantes
She was particularly impressive when she stood in front of the Board of Supervisors earlier this year and gave them the ol’ what’s what over $25 million in state funds that were supposed to go (at least in part) toward helping her district. Here’s one to keep your eye on, Santa.
Former Sacramento City Council member Katie Valenzuela
Valenzuela was always good to stir up the grime sitting at the bottom of any issue. I hope she makes a soft landing, preferably in a job with significantly less death threats than her last gig. Meanwhile, her replacement’s vote on Chan’s contract tells me there’s going to be a lot of fodder for future columns out of that one…
The West Sacramento A’s
As poorly as they treated Oakland, I have to admit: I’m really looking forward to having a Major League Baseball team right on our doorstep at Sutter Health Park next year (even if those ticket prices are bonkers.) Goooooooo A’s!
Sacramento Public Libraries
This summer, Sacramento Public Library patrons logged more than 3 million minutes of reading time and read more than 260,000 books. There are thousands of programs administered through the Sac Public Library system, including free meals, story times and senior programs. Our wonderful public library system deserves our support year-round, but it’s especially easy to snuggle up with a good book in a quiet library during the cold season!
Merry Christmas, one and all! (Even you, Howard.)
